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I think it really comes down to a perception of not being valued. The cotton centerpieces just set the underlying issue on fire. When you ask students to attend an event purportedly to facilitate a discussion, dismiss them when they raise an issue of concern, and then ramble on about yourself, it doesn't give the impression of a genuine effort to listen. This is an important lesson for all of us in our interactions with others. If one truly cares about another person or group, then one puts aside one's own concerns in the interest of true understanding. People don't respond well to condescension but empathy works wonders.
this. actually. the menu was just the tip of the iceberg. of course it is alot more than about items you digest.
Here's the thing, if I'm white and don't really know black people well what would I base their food preferences on? I could in theory just ask them or I could look around at popular culture. If I look at popular culture I'd find a movies, TV shows and overwhelming references to soul food. I'd find that blacks themselves rave about collard greens and the like. So I decide to serve it. You know serving the ethnic cuisine of your house guests is standard fare around the world. When there's a state dinner the White House will serve American food and have some items from the country of the visiting dignitary. In most normal places it shows you took the time to care.
However since black Americans have been conditioned to be victims and offended over every and any possible slight. This man;'s attempt at hospitality fell flat.
Honestly white folks should not even bother any more. The real issue is that African Americans are ashamed of their heritage and their ancestors. That's the real pity here.
Why would anyone serve mac n' cheese to college students?
Good grief. Some eat a constant diet of mac n' cheese, Top Ramen, and PB&J sandwiches.
Come to think of it, why didn't he serve everyone PB&J sandwiches? They are a lot easier to eat standing up than mac n' cheese and collard greens.
Low budget event. The VA serves those food to us volunteers all the time. LOL
This said, maybe the president will learn next time. I will just serve the same food to everybody, Mexicans, blacks, asians, white, everybody eats the same food. Fried rice and pasta.
I think you are the one not getting it. Nobody forced them to do a damn thing or eat anything. You speak as if they were held at gunpoint.
It was a group of black students invited to dinner because they are .... wait for it ... black students.
In an effort at hospitality, the man served Soul Food. Soul Food, besides being damn good, is a well-established and appealing cultural attribute of the African-American experience. All major cities have good Soul Food joints and I posted menus from three such places. Many whites, especially those of us who grew up around lots of black folks, enjoy it immensely.
There it is. It's Soul Food. Reasonable as well as sophisticated people know what it is.
Try it.
Why not just serve the same food that you'd serve at any other dinner. You know...prime rib, maybe a chicken dish, a pasta, potato or rice. Young black people aren't into the "soul food" thing anyway. It's an anachronism. We DO eat the same things that everyone else eats, ya know.
And the cotton plants on the table? Yeah...real nice decor.
Not necessarily. If they would like to see more black students applying to the university, then they have to figure what's holding that back. It may be an issue of presenting the university as an attractive option to college-bound black high school students. If good students are leaving citing not feeling welcome on campus, it has nothing to do with merit. The same may apply to under-represented fields of study, if students are not declaring based on a sense that a degree is not for them based on their race. The university administration can't know for certain unless it asks and is willing to listen with an open mind.
There it is again.
When you are race-obsessed instead of merit-obsessed you are going to find yourself chasing your own tail.
I can't for the life of me understand why a university would care who attends the school based on anything aside from merit but their playground...their rules.
I truly don't understand people getting all up in arms about these cotton decorations. They are just ugly. Of course I am not an African American and am not in their shoes.
That said, reading the article in it's entirety it does make the situation worse and worse. The meal he served I would have been thrilled with. But then seeing he had Latin students over the night before and had tacos...well. It just screams stupidity whoever put the party together.
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